Little Jack grins and bears it! (From Free Press Series)

Little Jack grins and bears it!

A FATHER and son team have joined forces to brighten up a department at Griffithstown's County Hospital.

Hospital carpenter Brian Macken, aged 39, used his woodwork skills and money left to him by his mother, to build a play area and toy box for children in the minor injuries unit.

And his four-year-old son James Macken has followed suit and plans to raffle his favourite teddy "Fluffy" so that they can fill a toy box in the play area his dad built.

James said: "I want to give Fluffy to the children who don't have anything, even though I will miss him - he's going to a good home."

Staff at the hospital plan to raffle the toy dog around Christmas time and hope to be able to stock the play area, which has been well used since it was built.

Brian said: "I really made the play area in memory of my mother - she died in January but I wanted what she left me to be out to good use.

Brian grew up in Dublin and was one of ten children. He saw some tough times and lived in an orphanage for ten years as his mother recovered from tuberculosis. "My mother taught us all nice ways - the value of things and to be appreciative," he said.

Brian, now married with two children, explained: "I can appreciate things and life has been good to me. Now it's about putting something back into the community."

"Within the first day of fitting the play area there was a little girl who started colouring in the drawings and looking at the books. I saw her through the window and thought 'that's what it's all about'," said Brian.

James' prize dog came from an event in Margam Park earlier this month and he asked if he could give it to the children in the hospital.

But as stuffed toys are forbidden for hygienic reasons Fluffy will be raffled to fund the purchase of more hospital friendly toys.

After saying a final farewell to Fluffy, James returned home to play with his other favourite - Superman.